Back-to-Back Wins for Truck Show Latino Contestant

Hector Santos was standing by his truck inside Building 4 at the Fairplex in Pomona last Friday when one of the Stars & Stripes contest organizers stopped by to ask him if he was back to reclaim his title.

Santos won big time at last year's Truck Show Latino with his blue and white bobtail, and his appearance this year, he said, was a last-minute decision. The Riverside, Calif., owner-operator told the contest official he wasn't very optimistic about another win.
"I don't think so," he told the man. "There's a lot of nice trucks here this year."
But when the judges' paperwork was tallied, Santos and his 1999 Peterbilt 379 were at the top of the heap again, with the 31-year-old driver walking away with back-to-back Best of Show honors.
"You know what? There were a lot more trucks there this year than last - a lot of really good-looking trucks," Santos said. "So I was real happy to win again."
And, once again, the two-time Truck Show Latino winner had to scurry to get his beautiful bobtail ready for the Pomona show.
Santos said he was hauling bails of hay for his customers up until 3 p.m. the Thursday before the show.
"I got home, cleaned the truck until 4 a.m. Friday, took a two-hour nap, then worked on the truck at the Fairplex until 11 p.m.," he said.
His secret to success is to keep the truck clean all year long. "I don't let dirt build up," he said.
This constant attention to cleanliness paid off again this year for the busy truck owner.
In addition to his second Best of Show trophy this year, Santos walked away with a first-place win in Working Bobtail-1999 and Older, and another first in Interior OEM Sleeper. He also picked up a second-place prize for Best Engine.
Meanwhile, 14-year-old Colton Pounds, whose dad, Mark Pounds, owns Central Valley Transport out of Bakersfield, Calif., took Best of Show Working Combo with a 2001 Freightliner Classic with custom double flatbed trailers. Mark and his 18-year-old cousin, Markie Pounds, also tied for first place in Working Combo, with young Markie presenting Central Valley's 1987 Freightliner cabover, also with custom double flatbed trailers.
Both boys won trophies during the Stars & Stripes truck beauty show at Truck Show Las Vegas earlier this year.
And Mike Maggini of Maggini Trucking won Best of Show, Limited Mileage Bobtail with "Pimpin' Ain't Easy," his yellow 1998 Peterbilt 379 with green flames.

Winners of 2007 Truck Show Latino Awards include:

TOP TROPHIES

BEST OF SHOW WORKING BOBTAIL
Hector Santos, 1999 Blue & White Peterbilt 379

BEST OF SHOW WORKING COMBO
Colton Pounds, Central Valley Transport, 2001 Purple Freightliner Classic with custom double flatbed trailers

BEST OF SHOW LIMITED MILEAGE BOBTAIL
Mike Maggini, Maggini Trucking, 1998 Yellow w/ Green flames Peterbilt 379, "Pimpin' Ain't Easy"

WORKING DIVISION

WORKING BOBTAIL 1999 & OLDER
1st Hector Santos, 1999 Blue & White Peterbilt 379
2nd George Garcia, Garcia Trucking, 1988 Red Peterbilt 378
3rd Rudy Tule, Blandino Trucking, 1994 Purple Peterbilt
4th Tie Kris Gaare, 1998 Blue Peterbilt 379
4th Tie Enrique Vanegas, EVR Trucking, 1988 Black Peterbilt
5th Rolondo Nava Trucking, 1988 Red & White Kenworth T600

WORKING BOBTAIL 2000 & Newer
1st Curtis Christians, 2005 Black and Red Peterbilt 379
2nd Tie Carl Gillam, Liberty Linehaul West, 2008 Burgundy Kenworth W900L
2nd Tie Jeff Botelho, Botelho Bros Trucking, 2007 Blue Flamed Peterbilt 379
3rd Alex Fimbres III, 2005 Teal Green Peterbilt 379, "Never Satisfied"

SPECIALIZED BOBTAIL
1st Rick Hall, Riddler Trucking, 2006 Lime Green Peterbilt 379 Super Dump, "The Riddler
2nd Tina Blankenship, 1996 Midnight Blue Kenworth T800 Dump Truck, "Girl Power"
3rd Fast Eddie Hall, 1975 Purple Peterbilt 359 Dump Truck

FIRST SHOW BOBTAIL
1st Juan Antonio Sanchez, SAMASA Trucking 1995 Black & Purple Peterbilt
2nd Cesar Soto, Sandvik Trucking, 1994 Burgundy Peterbilt 37
3rd Fernando Perez, T-J Style built, 1997 Metallic Teal Green Peterbilt
WORKING COMBO
1st Tie Markie Pounds, Central Valley Transport, 1987 Cabover Purple Flamed Freightliner with custom double flatbed trailers
1st Colton Pounds, Central Valley Transport, 2001 Purple Freightliner Classic with custom double flatbed trailers
2nd Kirk Hurst, Bridgestone Firestone, 2005 Black Kenworth T800 with 2005 53-foot Great Dane Van
3rd Dave Mentz, Bridgestone Firestone, 2005 Black Kenworth T800 with 2007 48-foot Great Dane Van

INTERIOR-CAB ONLY
1st George Garcia, Garcia Trucking, 1988 Red Peterbilt 378
2nd Enrique Vanegas, EVR Trucking, 1988 Black Peterbilt
3rd Tina Blankenship, 1996 Midnight Blue Kenworth T800 Dump Truck, "Girl Power"

INTERIOR OEM SLEEPER
1st Hector Santos, 1999 Blue & White Peterbilt 379
2nd Curtis Christians, 2005 Black and Red Peterbilt 379
3rd Marcos Cervantes, Sandvik Trucking, 2003 Blue & Silver Peterbilt 379
ENGINE
1st Jeff Botelho, Botelho Bros Trucking, 2007 Blue Flamed Peterbilt 379, "Love Your Shoes"
2nd Hector Santos, 1999 Blue & White Peterbilt 379
3rd Juan Antonio Sanchez, SAMASA Trucking, 1995 Black & Purple Peterbilt
BOBTAIL PAINT, GRAPHICS OR MURAL
1st Curtis Christians, 2005 Black and Red Peterbilt 379
2nd Jeff Botelho, Botelho Bros Trucking, 2007 Blue Flamed Peterbilt 379, "Love Your Shoes"
3rd Donald Arias Jr., 1987 Pearl Blue Flamed Peterbilt 359

COMBO PAINT, GRAPHICS OR MURAL
1st Markie Pounds, Central Valley Transport, 1987 Cabover Purple Flamed Freightliner with custom double flatbed trailers
2nd Kirk Hurst, Bridgestone Firestone, 2005 Kenworth T800 with 2005 53-foot Great Dane Van
3rd Colton Pounds, Central Valley Transport, 2001 Purple Freightliner Classic with custom double flatbed trailers

LIMITED MILEAGE DIVISION
Best Interior, Bill Sandvik, Sandvik Trucking, 1998 Blue & White Muraled Peterbilt 379
Best Engine, Mike Maggini, Maggini Trucking, 1998 Yellow w/ Green Flames Peterbilt 379, "Pimpin' Ain't Easy"
Best Paint, Melvin Maggini, Maggini Hay Co., 1962 Yellow w/Green Flames Peterbilt, "The Godfather"

LIMITED MILEAGE BOBTAIL
2nd Bill Sandvik, Sandvik Trucking, 1998 Blue & White Muraled Peterbilt 379
3rd Chuck Prigge, Sandvik Trucking, 1996 White w/Purple Flames Peterbilt, "Kaotic"
4th A&L Truck Supply, Juan Gonzales, 1957 Red Peterbilt 350
5th Melvin Maggini, Maggini Hay Co., 1962 Yellow w/Green Flames Peterbilt, "The Godfather"
SPECIAL AWARDS
Roadworks BEST HEAD TURNING USE OF CHROME & STAINLESS Award
Juan Antonio Sanchez, 1995 Black & Purple Peterbilt

Jones Performance BEST THEME Award:
Melvin Maggini, Maggini Hay Co., 1962 Yellow w/Green Flames Peterbilt "The Godfather"
California Dump Truck Owners Association, TOP COMBINATION TRUCK & TRAILER
American Wrecking Inc., 2006 White Peterbilt and 2007 End Dump